SDMC to take care of its dying parks

The newly formed South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has decided to make its parks and gardens greener. The corporation has more than 10,000 parks and it has decided to increase the number of tubewells and set up more rainwater harvesting units for the same.

The newly formed South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has decided to make its parks and gardens greener. The corporation has more than 10,000 parks and it has decided to increase the number of tubewells and set up more rainwater harvesting units for the same.

According to the deliberative wing, several hundred parks in the corporation are in a bad state and need to be redeveloped. At its House meeting on Monday, the councillors will raise the issue of inadequate staff and water arrangements for the parks.

"We will ask the executive wing to come up with a detailed report on the number of parks and tubewells in South Delhi so they can be bettered. A lot of people do not realise that maintaining parks are one of the responsibilities of the corporation," said Subhash Arya, Leader of the House.

Mayor Savita Gupta, who has undertaken a special drive to 'facelift' the area, says cleanliness of parks will be given "special importance".

"The horticulture department would undertake cleaning of parks, removal of garbage from parks, painting of grills and playing apparatus, cutting of unwanted grass, maintenance of composting sites, etc.," she said.

They will also ensure proper functioning of tube wells besides making special efforts to improve greenery and add more stretches for planting trees. In some of the parks, swings and slides will also be set up for children.

"There is also a shortage of gardeners in the parks which is why maintenance gets affected. More gardeners will be recruited in the coming days to make up for the scarcity," added Arya.